Broken sprinkler standpipe removing tool

ABSTRACT

A torque transfer tool including an elongated shank provided with a handle at one end and retractable gripping jaws at its other end. The other end of the shank is adapted to be telescoped into the broken end of a broken pipe section having its other end threadedly engaged with a supporting fitting and the tool jaws are extendable generally radially outwardly of the other end of the shank and supported therefrom for rotation therewith, whereby after insertion of the other end of the shank into the broken pipe section the jaws may be extended so as to frictionally grip the inner surfaces of the broken pipe section and the tool may be subsequently rotated about its longitudinal axis in order to unthread the broken pipe section from its supporting fitting.

United States Patent 11 1 1 sa a s Romero 1 1 May 8, 1973 s41 BROKENSPRINKLER STANDPIPE 1,672,937 6/1828 Helms ..29/262 x REMOVING TOOL [75]inventor: Ilrintonio S. Romero, Santa Fe, N. grzgzg lggs xg' figAttorney-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B Jacob- [73] Assignee: BostonE. Witt, Santa Fe, N. Mex. son

' a part interest 22 Filed: Oct. 5, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT A torque transfertool including an elongated shank [211 App! 78097 provided with a handleat one end and retractable gripping jaws at its other end. The other endof the [52] 11.8. C1 ..29/240, 29/261 shank is adapted to be telescopedinto the broken end [51] Int. Cl. ..B23p 19/04 of a broken pipe sectionhaving its other end [58] Field of Search ..29/240, 261, 262, threadedlyengaged with a supporting fitting and the 29/265; 81/532, 72; 294/95tool jaws are extendable generally radially outwardly of the other endof the shank and supported therefrom [56] References Cited for rotationtherewith, whereby after insertion of the other end of the shank intothe broken pipe section UNITED STATES PATENTS the jaws may be extendedso as to frietionally grip the 1,197,648 9/1916 Meyers ..81/72 ux innersurfaces of the broken P Section and the 1,390,371 9/1921 Meyer ..81/72may be subsequently rotated about its longitudinal 2,562,419 7/1951Ferris ..81/72 X axis in order to unthread the broken pipe section from3,152,830 10/1964 Pounder .81/72 X its supporting fitting. 1,464,6938/1923 Campbell. .29/265 2,755,540 7/1956 Crozier ..29/265 1 Claim, 5Drawing Figures PATENTEUW 8% 3,731,364

Fig.2 Fig-3 Antonio 5. Romero BROKEN SPRINKLER STANDPIPE REMOVING TOOLSprinkling or irrigation systems are commonly provided with a pluralityof upstanding standpipes from whose upper ends sprinkling heads aresupported. The lower ends of the standpipes are threadedly engaged inT-fittings disposed in an underground supply line and accordingly, thelower end of the standpipes are not readily accessible from groundlevel. In some instances these standpipes will be deflected laterallyabove the ground to the extent that they will break off below groundlevel thus requiring their replacement. Conventionally, the replacementof a broken standpipe requires that the earth be dug out from around thelower end of the standpipe and that a pipe wrench be applied to thelower end of the standpipe in order that the latter may -be unthreadedfrom its supporting fitting. However, this removal of dirt fromaroundthe lower end of a broken standpipe requires the expenditure of aconsiderable amount of work not only to remove the dirt but to alsoreplace the dirt after the broken standpipe has been replaced.

It is accordingly the main object of this invention to provide a toolwhereby the lower end of a broken standpipe may be removed by a personmanipulating the tool from above the ground and without removing anydirt from around the broken standpipe lower end.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a tool constructed in a manner wherebyany given tool may be utilized in conjunction with broken standpipes ofvarious diameters.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a broken sprinklerstandpipe removing tool constructed in a manner whereby use will notrequire special trainmg.

A final object of this invention is to be specifically enumerated hereinis to provide a tool in accordance with the preceding objects which willconform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple constructionand easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economicallyfeasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a sprinkler or irrigationsystem having at least one broken sprinkler head supporting standpipe;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but with thetool of the instant invention in operative position to remove the lowerend of the broken sprinkler standpipe;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the tool withcertain portions thereof being broken away and illustrated in verticalsection to more clearly illustrate the internal structural detailsthereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lowerend of the tool in operative association with the lower broken end ofthe standpipe preparatory to removal of the standpipe lower end.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates a sprinkling or irrigation system including an undergroundheader pipe 12 having a plurality of longitudinally spaced T-fittings 14connected therein. Each of the T-fittings 14 includes an upwardlyopening internally threaded neck 16 in which the externally threadedlower end portion of a standpipe 18 is threadedly engaged. The upper endof the standpipe 18 projects above 'the surface 20 of the ground 22 inwhich the header pipe 12 is buried and has a sprinkler head 24 mountedon its upper terminal end.

As occasionally will happen, the upper end of one or more of thestandpipes 18 will be struck above the ground 22 and horizontallydeflected resulting in the lower end portion of the standpipe 18 beingbroken as at 26. When this breakage occurs, it is then necessary toremove the entire standpipe l8 and to replace the same with a newstandpipe. However, removal of the entire standpipe 18 by conventionalmethods involves digging away the ground 22 around the neck 16 so that apipe wrench or the like may be engaged with the lower end portion of thestandpipe 18 remaining in threaded engagement with the neck 16. Then,the pipe wrench may be utilized to unscrew the lower terminal end of thestandpipe 18 and a new standpipe 18 may be threaded in place after whichthe ground previously dug away from the neck 16 is replaced.

This conventional method of replacing broken sprinkler system standpipesis thus time consuming as well as tiring. Further, if a large number ofstandpipes are to be replaced, the task of replacing the brokenstandpipes can be quite expensive, from a labor standpoint.

The tool of the instant invention is referred to in general by thereference numeral 30 and includes a tubular shank 32 having upper andlower ends 34 and 36.

The lower end of the tubular shank 32 is secured in a counterbore 38defined at the upper end of an upstanding bore 40 formed in a lowerterminal end head piece 42. The lower end 36 is secured in thecounterbore 38 in any convenient manner such as by welding 43.

The head piece 42 defines an upstanding generally cylindrical body 46 inwhich the bore 40 and counterbore 38 are formed and the body 46 furtherincludes a transverse passage 48 into which the lower end of the boreopens and in whose opposite ends a plurality of jaw members 50 arepivotally supported as at 52.

The upper end 34 of the tubular sleeve 32 has an internally threadedsleeve 56 secured therein and the lower end 36 of the tubular sleeve 32has a similar internally threaded sleeve 58 secured therein, the sleeve58 also being seated in the inner end of the counterbore 38.

The upper end of the tubular sleeve or shank 32 includes a pair ofdiametrically oppositely and outwardly projecting hand grips 60 securedto the outersurface portions of the tubular shank 32 in any convenientmanner such as by welding 62 and a threaded shank member 64 isthreadedly passed through the internally threaded sleeves 56 and 58 andincludes a diametrically reduced lower end portion 66 whose lowerterminal end is rounded as at 68. Further, the upper end of the shaftmember 64 is provided with a diametric handle 70.

In operation when it is desired to remove the lower end of the standpipe18 from the neck 16, the upper broken portion of the standpipe isremoved and the tool 30 is disposed above the passage in the groundextending from the neck portion 16 up to the surface 20 of the ground22. Then, the shank 56 is retracted upwardly by rotation of the shank 56until the rounded lower end portion 68 of the shank member 64 is raisedout of engagement with the confronting convexly curved adjacent surfacesof the jaw members 50 when the jaw members 50 are in the fully retractedpositions illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Then, tool 30 ,islowered downwardly through the passage in the ground so that the conicallower end 74 of the head piece 42 will be received downwardly in theneck 16 and function to center the tubular shank 32 relative to thecenterline of the neck 16. Then, with the upper broken end 76 of theremaining portion of the standpipe l8 supported from the T-fitting 14engaging the peripheral shoulder 78 of the head piece 42 to limitdownward displacement of the head piece 42 through the remaining portionof the standpipe 18, the outer tubular shank 32 is held stationary whilethe handle 70 is utilized to thread the shank member 64 downwardlythrough the sleeves 56 and 58 so as to force the rounded lower end 68 ofthe diametrically reduced end portion 66 between the opposing convex camsurfaces of the jaw members 50 to thus swing the lower ends of the jawmembers 50 outwardly of the opposite ends of the passage 48 toward theposition thereof illustrated in FIG. of the drawings with the lower endsof the jaw members 50 frictionally engaged withand biting into the innersurface of that portion of the standpipe 18 remaining supported from theT-fitting 14. Thereafter, with the lower ends of the jawimembers50tightly embedded in the remaining portion of the standpipe 18, thehandles 60 are used to turn the tubular shank 32 in a counter-clockwisedirection as viewed from above so as to unscrew the remaining portion ofthe standpipe 18 from the neck 16. Thereafter, the new standpipe may bedownwardly inserted into the ground passage through which a brokenstandpipe piece is removed and threadedly engaged in the neck 16.

By this operation, a broken standpipe section may be removed from theT-fitting l4 and a new standpipe threadedly engaged with the T-fitting14 without any necessity of removing dirt from around the neck 16. Thus,the task of replacing broken standpipes in irrigation sprinkler systemsmay be greatly simplified.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 4 principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A tool for removing brokensprinkler standpipes, said tool comprisingan elongated handle having first and second ends, a plurality ofgripping members suprted from said first end forshiftin betw tardlydisplaced extended positions rel tive to ti e 35nterline of said handleand inwardly displaced retracted positions relative to said centerline,actuator means, operable from said second end of said handle, forselectively extending and retracting said gripping members, saidgripping members including outer surfaces thereof adapted to bite intothe inner surfaces of the broken end of a pipesection into which saidfirst end is telescoped upon extension of said gripping members aftersaid first end has been telescoped into said broken end, said handlebeing tubular and said gripping members being supported from said firstend for at least substantial retraction within said one end when movedto their retracted positions, said gripping members including camsurfaces disposed within said first end, said actuator means comprisingan elongated thrust rod disposed in said handle and having meansconnected to one end thereof disposed outwardly of said second end forimparting rotational torque to said rod, means establishing a threadedconnection between said rod and said handle for axially reciprocatingsaid rod in response to rotary oscillation of said rod relative to saidhandle, the other end of said rod including cam surface meansoperatively engageable with said cam surfaces to force said grippingmembers toward their extended positions in response to axial shifting ofsaid rod toward said first end of said handle, said gripping membersbeing pivotally supported from said first end and the latter beingprovided with radial slots through which said gripping members areswingable during their movement between extended and retractedpositions, said second end of said tubular handle being open, said oneend of said rod projecting outwardly of said second end of said handle,said means on said one end of said rod comprising a cross handle, saidsecond end of said tubular handle including outwardly projectinghandgrip portions, said first end including at least a bluntly pointedend wall, said gripping members being at least slightly axially spacedalong said handle toward said second end from the terminal end of saidfirst end.

1. A tool for removing broken sprinkler standpipes, said tool comprisingan elongated handle having first and second ends, a plurality ofgripping members supported from said first end for shifting betweenoutwardly displaced extended positions relative to the centerline ofsaid handle and inwardly displaced retracted positions relative to saidcenterline, actuator means, operable from said second end of saidhandle, for selectively extending and retracting said gripping members,said gripping members including outer surfaces thereof adapted to biteinto the inner surfaces of the broken end of a pipe section into whichsaid first end is telescoped upon extension of said gripping membersafter said first end has been telescoped into said broken end, saidhandle being tubular and said gripping members being supported from saidfirst end for at least substantial retraction within said one end whenmoved to their retracted positions, said gripping members including camsurfaces disposed within said first end, said actuator means comprisingan elongated thrust rod disposed in said handle and having meansconnected to one end thereof disposed outwardly of said second end forimparting rotational torque to said rod, means establishing a threadedconnection between said rod and said handle for axially reciprocatingsaid rod in response to rotary oscillation of said rod relative to saidhandle, the other end of said rod including cam surface meansoperatively engageable with said cam surfaces to force said grippingmembers toward their extended positions in response to axial shifting ofsaid rod toward said first end of said handle, said gripping membersbeing pivotally supported from said first end and the latter beingprovided with radial slots through which said gripping members areswingable during their movement between extended and retractedpositions, said second end of said tubular handle being open, said oneend of said rod projecting outwardly of said second end of said handle,said means on said one end of said rod comprising a cross handle, saidsecond end of said tubular handle including outwardly projectinghandgrip portions, said first end including at least a bluntly pointedend wall, said gripping members being at least slightly axially spacedalong said handle toward said second end from the terminal end of saidfirst end.